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86 IflB SOUTHERN WORLD, JANUARY 15,18*5. Editorial Correspondence Southern World. J Another UkIiIuIiik Trip tlirouKta Southern, Southeastern and Eastern Georgia-B. it XV. R. R— S. W. & P. R. R.— Savannah- Central R. R. and Occam S. S. Co. Wharves, C. R. R. statistics— AuKusta—Weather, Crops, etc. Having bo often sketched the inter vening country between Atlanta and Albany, the writer proposes to make a new departure from the “Artesian city ’* over the Brunswick and Western Rail road to Waycross and points below. This highway runs through what is fa miliarly known as Mr. R. R. Cuyler’s “ Pine Barren," a region that astute railroad magnate thought neither could or ever would be developed into any significance or importance. True, when the locomotive with its shrill whistle first broke the stillness of the scene, the trees in those primeval forests stood in serried ranks towering heavenward, and no undergrowth im peded the vision as it glanced from trunk to trunk far into the recesses of the wildernesj. The rude habitations, “few and far between," were perched upon rising places in the broad savannahs,and the people for the most part stock rais ers, cultivated seldom more than a few acres around their cabins, enriching them by the “cuppening" (cow-pen ning) process. Schools and churches were rarely to be seen, and but for the sturdy hard shell Baptist, uncouth, but always honest, and the itinerant Meth odist parson with his saddle-bags and resounding amens, civilization would have been at its lowest ehb. Even now one of the most prosperous citizens of Pearson assured your correspondent, that there were some who still ignored all innovation and improvement, and clung with singular tenacity to the old ways and methods, just as the Portu guese husbandman persists in using bis ancestral wooden plow in preference to the modern implement. Theso are but exceptions, however, and in no part of the commonwealth haB the material and moral progress of the people been more signal and apparent than is this piny woods country. In proof of this, wit ness the numerous smiling villages that have sprung into existence almost at every railroad station, the neat churches and school houses, the busy stores and piles of luuttyy and turpentine and rosin, which are visible to the traveler on every side, and the rapid appreciation in real estate. Not less than fifty turpentine distilleries between Albany ana Way cross can be counted on the railroad, and many saw mills, among them sev eral that are immense establishments. To show the rapid increase in the pro duction and manufacture of naval stores, it is only necessary to say that the Cen tral railroad alone moved 17,452 barrels of turpentine and 74,827 barrels of rosin in the last twelve months againBt 14,608 and 50,734 respectively, for the preced ing year. Of lumber, sawed and other wise. 24,130,000 feet were transported by this artery of commerce in 1883-84 showing an increase for the year, of 5, 380,000 feet. And this too in the face of hard times and exceptionally low prices. From Mr. Dunham, one of the most extensive turpentine makers in the State the writer gleaned many interesting facts relating to thiB industry. Ten thousand boxes can be tended by one hand, which will hold on an average one quart of gum each. The trees should be chipped once every week. That is, a small portion of new bark is cut away above the box to keep the gum running. One box will yield several gallons of resin in a single season. “Dipping” begins in the early sprin;: and is repeated once every month unti cold weather. The gum drawn from newly boxed trees known as “ virgin dip,” is two or three times more valuable than the pro duct of the trees which have been tap ped for several years. Every year the resin becomes darker and less valuable, until at length it payn but little more than the cost of marketing. Mr. Dunham was en route to Nojth Carolina in quest of more laborers. The hire and transportation of his “ hands ” last year cost him over 111,000. He says he has proven by experiment that rob bing the trees of their turpentine does not in the least degree impoverish the soil. Nor does he Delieve that the lum ber from an exhausted pine tree is any less valuable for having been deprived of its gum. Lots of lumber sawed from boxed and unboxed trees have been privately marked and subjected to in spection by northern dealers, and they were unable to discriminate between the two. To prevent the ravages of fire, every pine must be cleaned around with the hoe at least once a year. The Brunswick and Western is in ex cellent condition and has been an incal culable blessing to that long neglected region. Sheep husbandry is an import ant factor in the revenues of this por tion of Georgia. Hundreds may be seen cropping the wire grass and tender buds on the edges of tne swamps and bogs. A dog tax would be a boon indeed to the inhabitants. At Waycross we struck the Savannah Florida and Western Railroad boarding the fast train, which only stops at tele graph stations. The dining house here which is owned and run by the manage- of the road is the best in the South. Regular meals and tempting lunches are furnished from all the delicacies the market affords, and the passenger can but note the perfect cleanliness and good order that prevails. Here the several streams of travel southward unite and take the famous “ Short Line " to Jacksonville. Up to this time the influx of tourists and in valids has been small, and the outlook is not promising to the numerous mam moth hotels of Florida. The New Or leans Exposition doubtless will divert many in that direction. It is said, how ever, there is always a lull in travel about Christmas and New Year, and the tide may set in a little later. This railroad iB doing an immense business, which inures largely to the benefit of the people, but unfortunately, owing to the tariff of rates imposed by the Commission, dividends are out of the question. It is to be hoped that some satisfactory solution of the diffi culty may be reached ere long. To the E raise of the managers of the road, owever, the track, engines and rolling stock are in first-class condition It was after night when the train ar rived at Savannah and as usual the writer sought quarters in the Marshall House, which the veteran Bresnan and his courtious assistants, S. A. Upson, chief clerk, and W. A. Davison, night clerk in the office, have made so de servedly popular. It was never better kept or patronized than at present. This is the height of the cotton season here, and long processions of drays laden with the fleecy staple are met on every side, and the bales in the ware houses may be counted by the acre. The city is increasing aiso in size and population, but the many queer old shanties that disfigure many of the prin cipal streets are still standing ana be coming more rickety and unsightly every ear. Some of them look like they baa eon there ever since the days ot Toma- chichi. The value of the improvements bear a ridiculous proportion to that of the land on which they are located, but the owners get high rents and are generally unable to tear down and build up anew. Some of the old stores rent for double their actual value. Now and then a conflagration wipes out not a few of these uncouth structures, and then the fire limits ordinance necessitates the erection of more permanent brick im provements. It is in thiB way that Sa vannah is becoming gradually modern' ized. STATISTICS OF SAVANNAH. A learned gentleman for many years a resident, thus classifies the population (36,000 by the last census, but now prob' ably fully 40,000); Catholics, 8,000 Jews, 2,000; foreigners, 3 000; Protest ant whites, 6,000; negroes, 17,000; total 36,000. This shows the various constituents that usually make up a maratime town Society in the higher circles of Savannah is noted for its refinement, simplicity of dress and great culture. A royal hospi tality obtains, and many patncian fain ilies of the “ bluest blood ” have resided here for generations. The noble churches are truly grand in their austere simplic ity, ana the place wears that unmistak able look of antiquity so seldom wit nessed in this country. The recent untimely death of Dr. J G. Thomas, while on a brief visit to Washington City, was unusually lament ed by the community. Like your own Calhoun he was endowed with splendid abilities which had received the highest cultivation, and a big heart and noble nature that always responded to the call of the sick and unfortunate. One who witnessed his funeral obsequies, said: “in a long procession of ladies on Lib erty street returning from the funeral not a dry eye was visible." They could not be comforted for the loss of their family physician, who was both friend and counsellor. Such a tribute to de parted excellence is worth more than “ storied urn " or “ monumental mar ble." THI CENTRAL RAILROAD. Your correspondent paid a visit to his old friend William Rogers, Esq., the able and indefatigable Superintendent of the Central railroad, and found him immers ed in business, but ever ready to bestow a courteous greeting and grant an inter view to all who wish to seehim. Few men to the most enlightened supervision o( the vast interests committed to his keeping, are able to devote so much at tention to the minute details of his bu siness. Our object was to obtain the necessary facilties for a visit and explo ration of the wharves, ships, and ware houses of the Ocean Steamship Co., and these were promptly afforded. Ar riving upon the scene we were politely received by one of the officials who im mediately telephone Mr. B. J. Cubbedge the Forwarding Agent, and received for answer that he would put in an appear ance within “ten minutes." True to time ity and bon \omie to furnish all the de sired information. The property of the Central Railroad lying adjacent to its magnificent wharves embraces three hundred and thirty acres, which, when a mere unreclaimed and undrained marsh, was purchased at a cost of $105,000. Since then the com' pany have expended for improvements one million of dollars in the construe tion of wharves and warehouses, a com modious elevator, dredging for greater depth of water, railroad extension to wharves, piling, etc. The fleet of steamships numbers seven magnificent vessels, to-wit, five plying between Savannah and New York, and two between Savannah and Philadel phia. The aggregate of their cost is $1,500,000. The Baltimore and Boston lines of steamships also receive and discharge their cargoes at the wharves of the com pany, making four distinct lines carry ing millions of pounds of freight which enter and depart from their docks. The arrivals embrace every variety of merchandise for several States in the in terior, besides guano and other fertili zers, while the exports are made up chiefly of cotton, syrup, tobacco, rice hides, grain, pig iron and naval stores. The waterfront of the company mess ures 6,000 feet, or over one mile, of which no less than 5,000 feet are occu pied by costly and substantial wharves, to Hhich a iarge number of steamers and sailing vessels are constantly moor ed, either receiving or discharging their cargoes. The depth of water at low tide at the wharves is fifteen feet, while at high tide ships drawing twenty-one feet may come and depart at pleasure. The immense area around and about the wharves is all planked over and built up with offices, warehouses and cotton presses. The latter are construct ed at heavy outlay and upon a vast scale No less than 250,000 bales of cotton are compressed here annually, and then hoiBted on board and packed by steam into the capacious holds of the ocean steamers and other vessels. The price for compressing is from 50 to 60 cents per bale. For the packet lines special rates are made. Over these wharves three hundred thousand bales of cotton are exported annually to all parts of the world. To man the floating palaces of the company a battalion of sailors and em ployeea numbering 250 are requisite, and the several Captains are men of tried nautical skill and sober and relia ble gentlemen. The same is true also of their subalterns. The capacity of the guano warehouse is one hundred thousand tons, and the present supply on hand of this loud Bmelling article foots up sixty thousand tonB, which will soon be disseminated throughout the Gulf States. It is hard even to conceive of so big a pile. The ships of the company have made two hundred and thirty round trip voy ages during the past year, carrying many thousands of passengers and an immense volume of freight, consisting in part of fruits, vegetables, melons, cotton, lum ber, naval stores, merchandise, rice, wool, syrup and other productions ol: less importance. President Raoul puts down the net receipts from the same at the splendid figure of $353,876.61. With the receipts from the Gordon cotton press and the Vale Royal property in cluded, the total income derived from the Ocean Steamship Company would amount to $486,989.21. It should be re membered that this is entirely separate and distinct from the earnings of the Central Railroad proper. What grand er testimony could be had to the sagaci ty of the deceased Wadley, who inaugu rated this great enterprise as a feeder to his far reaching interior arteries of commerce? The railroad leases ware houses to outside parties with a capaci ty for storing 30,000 bales of cotton. These are aside from its own enclosures which are of vast extent. Indeed every Georgian should be proud of this great highway of commerce which has done so much to reclaim the Commonwealth from the wilderness, and civilize and enrich its inhabitants. Albeit the short cotton crop and the low rate of freights allowed by the “ commission " have reduced by $375,- 864.09 the net earnings of the road dur ing the past year, still fair dividends have been declared, and the gross earn ings foot up the magnificent sum of $4,- 659,082 66. Expenses off, there remain ed a net balance of $1,807,627 50. To give some idea of the magnitude of the concern, it may be stated that the num ber of miles of railroad operated and controlled by the company is 1,814; the number of passengers carried in the last fiscal year, 184,085; the number of bales of cotton transported, 495,236; the number of bushels of rice, 11,686; bush els of corn, 372,471; pounds of flour, 713,442; the number of pounds of pig and bar iron, 7,164,178; the number of packages of vegetables, 7,959; the num ber of pounds of wax and tallow, 659,- 450, with other products and merchan dise in proportion. Among the expen ditures may be mentioned the item of $14,802.05 paid for “ stock killed." But it would consume too much time and space to enter into any further enume ration of the various statistics of this great corporation. Suffice it to say they cover a large portion of the material wealth of the State, and upon the con tinued existence and prosperity of the Central and other railroads in our midst, the future welfare of the Commonwealth largely depends. Let any unjust opposition to these useful institutions cease incontinently, and tie people and railroad commission act on tne principle of “live and let live." After a brief sojourn in the “Forest City,” during which the writer paid his respects to his brother journalists of the Morning News and Times, and rejoiced at the evidences of their continued suc cess, we left for Augusta by rail via Mil- len and Waynesboro. It was a stormy, terrible day, with constant rain and sleet by turns. All nature seemed in tears, but within the cars it was as warm and comfortable as one’s dwelling, and there was not the smallest detention to the smooth going train. The clouds ceased dripping as we en tered the ancient and opulent city of Augusta and sought accommodations at her best hotel, the “ Planters’." Since our last visit the genial Dub has changed hiB base to the Screven House, Savan nah, where, as usual, he entertains like a Prince. He has been succeeded by Messrs. C. E. Smedes & Co., assietea by R. C. Rogers, chief clerk, and W. F. Passmore, night clerk. Under the new management, the Planters’" has been refurnished and painted throughout from garret to cel lar. Every carpet, bedstead and piece of furniture is “epic and span" new and of elegant material. The table and staff of servants are admirable, and Mr. Smedes spares no pains in the enter tainment of his guests. The menu lor New Years day was in part as follows: Music, clam chowder and baked sheep- head au gratin, barbecued beef, shoat and mutton, roast turkey, roast English mallard duck, escalloped oysters in shell, a long list of vegetables, including cauliflower and green peas, mince pie and other paBtry, LaFayette cake, ice cream, a variety of fruits, nuts, tea, coffee, etc., etc. The establishment, al beit built on the old style, is certainly elegant and recherche. AUGUSTA is one of the solid towns of Georgia, and constantly increasing in wealth and population. Her capacious canal,fringed with ousy cotton mills, extensive guano manufactory and many reliable business houses leave her second to no city in the Southern Atlantic States. She can also boast of the oldest and one of the best newspapers in Georgia, the Chroni cle and Constitutionalist. Friend Pat rick Walsh, the senior editor and pro- irietor, is making grand preparations or the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of his invaluable journal. May it continue to roll on from century to century, always, as in the past, im proving with each succeeding year. The Evening News too, under the genius and bonhomie of its sprightly editor, Bill Moore, has risen to a proud eminence in journalism and justly takes rank with the best publications in the State. The writer had the pleasure of greet ing Rev, Dr. Adams, Mr. Fleming Law, Gen. Stovall and J. W. Green, Esq., the able general manager of the Georgia Railroad. Mr. Green is a native of Mc Intosh county, residing originally only a few miles from the early home of the writer, and by the force of his industry, genius and unswerving integrity, has worked himself up to his present com manding position. This is a meet les son for the youth of the country. Our visit to Augusta was limited to a single day, and the limits of this already overgrown communication will sdinit of no further elaboration of the pleasant experiences of the writer in that beau tiful and hospitable city. THE GRAIN CROPS. All along the jaunt from Atlanta, through Middle, Southern, Southeastern